Author: standcolumbia
-
Issue #053: Litigation as Mirage: Implications of the Dismissal of the AAUP/AFT Lawsuit
ICYMI: Trump posted on his social media (and it was later reported in the New York Times) that it was “very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so” with Harvard University (which has acted “extremely appropriately”), although others briefed on the discussions assessed it as “highly unlikely.” We think…
-
Issue #052: The Quiet Shift Reshaping Columbia
ICYMI: Acting President Claire Shipman issued a public statement which you can read here and watch here. It acknowledged the time constraints we are under before permanent damage is done to our research enterprise, our red lines on academic freedom and institutional autonomy, the financial and regulatory realities facing us, the surge of antisemitic incidents…
-
Issue #051: America Cannot Afford to Lose Our Medical Research Infrastructure: A Conversation with Professor W. Ian Lipkin
TL;DR ICYMI: We are starting to see a welcome change in how Columbia’s official communications networks are approaching its broader messaging efforts. Last week, the official Columbia Alumni Association launched the Take Action initiative. It asks the broader community to “inspire and inform” which we have done and will continue to do in the spirit…
-
Issue #050: Columbia’s Title VI Violation Finding Triggers Accreditor Notification—But Not an Immediate Crisis
Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Education issued a press release stating that it had formally notified Columbia University’s accreditor (the Middle States Commission on Higher Education) that the Department’s Office for Civil Rights has found Columbia in violation of Title VI. (For reference, here is our issue explaining accreditation.) Here’s what this does and…
-
Issue #049: Columbia’s Student Body is 39% International. That Creates Risks and Opportunities.
On May 22, the Trump administration abruptly revoked Harvard’s SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) eligibility, blocking its ability to enroll international students. It’s worth saying this upfront: this was the wrong move and is counter to American interests. There are smarter ways to screen out bad actors but wholesale stopping enrollment or targeting specific…
-
Issue #048: 76% of Columbia’s $1.5B of Net Tuition Revenue Depends on the Federal Government. We Cannot Become Hillsdale-on-the-Hudson.
There were three potentially seismic developments this week that further illustrate the stakes that universities like ours face. The first is already in effect, albeit was just blocked by a federal court. The second has wide-ranging potential implications. And the third is a tragic foreshadowing of what could yet come. Note: Last evening, the Department…
-
Issue #047: Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights Finds Columbia in Violation of Title VI
Earlier this evening, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights announced a formal finding that Columbia University has violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. In plain terms, this means a federal agency has concluded that Columbia failed to meet its legal obligation to prevent discrimination as a condition of…
-
Issue #046: Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
This coming Wednesday, May 21, 2025, over 16,000 graduands (the term for students who have completed their exams but have not yet received their degrees) will graduate from Columbia University in its 271st academic year. It’s a real moment of joy for the graduates and for the over 400,000 alumni waiting to welcome them. We…
-
Issue #045: When the U.S. Government Cut Off All of Columbia’s Federal Funding… in 1971
Today, we’re going to look into a little-known and somewhat obscure episode in Columbia’s history that might provide some insight for today. But first things first. Butler 301 Occupation and its Aftershocks The Butler 301 (what we affectionately know as the Wien Reference Room) occupation of May 7, 2025 has concluded. Thanks to the extraordinary…
-
Issue #044: Masked Protestors Invade Butler 301, are Swiftly Removed and Arrested, and Will Be Held Accountable
This afternoon, at 3:15 PM, approximately 100 masked protestors overwhelmed the Security desk at the front of Butler Library and stormed into Room 301, the Lawrence A. Wien Reference Room. They interrupted students studying for finals, jumped on tables, began banging on drums, chanting and shouting, and then vandalized the room. Columbia University Public Safety…